


Fallen Snow [Prologue]

by bobasheebaby



Series: Cordonian Ruby [1]
Category: The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: Blood, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Bradshaw is a fucking tyrant, Car Accidents, Character Death, F/M, Gen, Medical Procedures, Mild Gore, surgical procedures preformed by none medical personnel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:48:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23922601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobasheebaby/pseuds/bobasheebaby
Summary: While trying to safely get the queen to the hospital the worst happens.
Relationships: Liam/Main Character (The Royal Romance)
Series: Cordonian Ruby [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1724443
Comments: 5
Kudos: 3





	Fallen Snow [Prologue]

**Author's Note:**

> A conversation with a friend who does not play choices put this idea in my head. It’s gonna be a rough ride, not sure how bad. Originally the first chapter was going to jump to 21 years later, after a conversation with another friend it was decided to do a few check ins before we see the heir fully grown.

_Deep and falling snow is particularly used to represent hardships or death._

“Get us out of here, Bastien! _Now!_ ” Carolyn’s order turned to a pained scream. _How did he find us?!_ They were careful, _cautious_. They had sent decoy cars so she could arrive safely at the hospital to give birth. They stayed in Lythikos because it would be expected for them to be at the palace or Valtoria.

Yet _he_ found them. 

Bastien pulled off onto a smaller less used road, in hopes to shake their pursuers. _Hopefully that will be enough to keep them safe._ He suspected a spy inside the Kingsguard; however he thought he’d sniffed them out. _There must have been two!_ He hit the gas as the queen’s screams became louder and closer together. They were his priority and he wouldn’t fail another queen. He glanced up in the rearview mirror his stomach dropped as headlights shone back at him. “Hold on, Your Majesties!”

“What? What’s going on?” Carolyn questioned panicked.

Liam squeezed her hand tightly as he looked out the back window. Rage coursed through him. Bradshaw refused to take no for an answer, and now he was endangering the lives of his wife and child. “He’s going to ram us.”

Liam glanced between the car behind them preparing to run them off the road and his wife, her face screwed up in pain and her hands clenched into tight fists.

_I can’t let anything happen to them,_ Bastien thought as he pressed the gas pedal nearly into the floor.

Liam undid his belt. “It’s going to be okay, Carolyn, I won’t let anything happen to either of you.” He slid across the seat, protectively curling his body around his wife’s, protecting both her and their unborn child.

“Brace for impact, I can’t shake him.” Bastien shouted from the front, anger nearly cutting through his calm demeanor. His job had always been to protect, and there was nothing he could do to protect them in that moment.

“I love you and I’ve got you.” Liam whispered to his wife.

The sickening sound of metal on metal, a high pitched scream and breaking glass melded together to form a terrible ear-shattering symphony.

\--

Bastien lifted his head from the steering wheel, the front end crumpled against a large tree. He unbuckled his seatbelt and quickly scanned the area, his blood running cold as his steely eyes fell on his king suspended from the windshield, glass impaling his chest _. I failed him, I’m sorry Eleanor._ He looked out the back, briefly feeling relief that the driver who was chasing them was at least momentarily incapacitated. _Please let the queen and the heir be unharmed._

He climbed over the seat into the back, careful not to bump the king’s prone form. He worked to keep his face devoid of emotion as he eyed the young queen clutching her throat, blood coating her hands and trickling down her arms. _I’ve failed them both._ “Everything is going to be fine Your Majesty.”

“Liam?” Carolyn gasped.

“He’s going to be fine. You both will.” His heart clenched with the words. _The lie is kinder than the truth._

“Y—you need to save the baby. Save her.”

“I’m going to save both of you.” He retrieved his pocket knife as he watched the color fade from her normally sun kissed complexion _. If only the glass hadn’t slit her throat._

Carolyn reached out, her blood soaked hand grasping Bastien’s hand. “D—don't … let …” she struggled over her words.

“Shhh, Your Majesty, save your strength.”

“No.” Her fading sapphire eyes imploring him. “Her … her … name is R—Ruby …” Tears streamed down her pale cheeks and her hand shook. “Keep … keep … her safe …” Her words came slower as she fought to get them out until they stopped.

Bastien briefly shut his eyes, a silent apology for what he would have to do. He carefully lifted her shirt and pushed her skirt down, exposing her round abdomen as the last breath passed her lips. _I’ll protect her with my life._

He placed the tip of his knife into her skin, saying a silent prayer as he carefully cut across her stomach. _Please let the baby make it. I can’t fail in my final promise to her._

He finished the cut, fingers curling around the tear in her skin as he pulled the flesh apart widening the opening. _Be alive. Be alive_ , he silently chanted as he pulled each of her organs from the cavity to expose her uterus. _Shallow, don’t cut the baby._ He carefully sliced along her uterus.

All his years of service, all his training never prepared him for this. He’d aided in delivery before but not to this level.

He held his breath as he spread open her uterus, the walls falling to the side like a rose in bloom. _Be alive_. He carefully reached in grasping the baby and pulled her from her mother's womb her body glistening red like her namesake, delivering her from ashes, into a quiet hope. _Be alive._

He let out the breath as the baby let out a loud cry. _Thank you Lord._

_Have to clamp and cut the cord._ His eyes scanned the wreckage finally falling on the queen's golden locks. _Forgive me,_ he thought as he pulled a bobby-pin from her hair before carefully sliding it onto the cord. He folded the cord in half over the blade of his knife, slicing it through in one motion.

He held the baby to his chest as he searched the car for something to wrap her in. His eyes fell on Liam’s discarded winter jacket. He laid it down before gently placing the baby in it, wrapping it tightly around her small form. He pulled her back to his chest, pulling his jacket around her, his eyes checking the car behind them. _He’s still out._ He pushed the door open, flinching at the loud metallic creak it made.

He stepped onto the freshly fallen snow, the newborn heir tucked to his chest. _Let’s get to safety little one._

\--

Bastien breathed a sigh of relief as Lythikos Keep came into view. The treck from the wreckage had taken longer than he wanted as the snow picked up. The only saving grace of the storm was that his tracks would be covered, buying him time to get them both to safety.

_We’re safe now Ruby_. His fingers wrapped around the ornate door knocker, bringing it down against the solid oak door with a thundering bang. He grimaced at the sight of the fallen queen’s blood dried on his hands.

_It was necessary. You promised to save the heir, Cordonia’s future._

The door fell open, revealing the sleepy majordomo Ingrid. Her mouth fell open as she took in the disheveled head guard to the king. Years of training instantly kicking in at the sight of the bloodied guard. “Come in. I’ll retrieve the duchess.”

“Thank you. I will also require something to clean up and keep the child warm.” Bastien said lifting the sleeping infant from his chest.

“Oh, my,” Ingrid gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “I’ll see what I can find.” She secured the door before ushering Bastien into the parlor and rushing off.

\--

Olivia blew into the parlor like a winter storm, she froze as she took in the Bastien’s blood soaked hands and coat. Her eyes fell to the infant cradled in his arms, her heart clenched as she became overcome with the feeling of sorrow. “Liam? Carolyn?”

Bastien sadly shook his head.

“Bradshaw?”

“His men ran us off the road.”

She nodded her understanding. “Let me see the baby.”

“Her name is Ruby.” He passed Olivia the sleeping infant still wrapped in her father’s coat. “C— Her Majesty named her before she succumbed to her injuries.” Even in the wake of her death he was unable to say her name. “I have to get her out of the country … I promised I would protect her.”

“Of course. We must protect the heir. I can help you both escape.”

His steely eyes met her emerald. “With the heir missing and her parents dead, Bradshaw will be coming for you next. Anton’s mission may have been unsuccessful, but he exposed to the rest of our enemies the order of succession.”

Her gaze narrowed; she never was one to cower. She glanced down at the only hope for Cordonia’s future. Bradshaw made it clear he wanted Cordonia’s money and that he would get it by alliance or force. She wasn’t ready to die; she wanted to live to see Ruby reclaim her rightful place as Cordonia’s queen. “I’ll be going with you. She will be safer with both of us looking after her.” She turned away unwilling to allow him to see the flash of emotion on her face.

She never thought she’d see the day when a Nevrakis would leave willingly and allow another power to take over her country. _I’ll do Cordonia more good from afar than dead._ It cut her to leave her people to the rule of a tyrant.

“I will have the jet readied. I’ll be sure to inform the flight crew that we will need items for a newborn.” Her eyes glanced out the storm brewing outside.

_Your queen shall return, in time._


End file.
